Creamy of Cauliflower Soup - My Most Requested Recipe

When I have people over for dinner in the Winter, I pretty much always start with a beautiful bowl of soup. I have to admit, when I love a movie or a song, I have been known to play it over and over again until it also makes me insane. Come on, if it aint broke don’t fix it! I feel like that about this cauliflower soup. However, so often in college I would play an album over and over again while I was studying, only to find that tune replaying in my head like Chinese water torture, distracting me during a much dreaded exam. I could then never play the album again, as it had so unfortunately attached itself to one of my more frustrating memories. However, I promise you, that only happy memories will be associated with this soup no matter how many times you play it! We had people over for dinner the other night, and once again, I found myself singing this cauliflower soup tune again….and it was sweet!

For a simple, impressive, and downright delicious soup, you just can’t go past this creamy cauliflower blend. I have served this soup at many a dinner party, and have had many a happy diner tell me they could have kept chowing on the first course. This week was no exception. The troughs were empty and the snouts were singing. I never tell people what is in it, cause it is so much fun listening to all of the creative guesses. Parsnip? Cream? Onion? What exactly makes this creamy soup taste so good? Once again, raw nuttiness turns the simple into the sublime, and fools even the most devout cream dreamer.

I use raw cashews, raw almonds, raw macadamias or coconut milk to cream most of my soups. If you're following the Body Ecology Diet use raw blanched almonds. I will post more delicious body ecology recipes soon. The nuts are the secret player that makes a cameo that holds up the whole production without showing off. I think the secret to this soup’s unforgettable melody is the harmony created with the cauliflower. It is just a match made in heaven, that I have brought into other kitchen musicals with return seasons.

My mum clipped a cream of cauliflower soup from a magazine about 10 years ago, and this gluten free, dairy free remount just might have a longer season than the original production. Just make sure you puree the nuts really well, and try to use a high speed blender (like a Vitamix) to achieve the most creamy, airy consistency. I have had friends tell me their production did not run so smoothly.

This soup stands alone as a fantastic family dinner with a ball of grain or a piece of gluten free bread on a cold Winter’s night. But I think it is special, and so I always make it to share. After all, the best music is made making memories with friends. Give this soup an opening night at your kitchen, and let this cauliflower bloom! This soup is so easy and absolutely phenomenal! It is gluten free, dairy free, egg free, soy free and not to be missed. Trust me, if you are looking for blendsational soup recipes this one is a stunner!

**If you want this soup to taste exactly like mine, the vegetable stock/broth that you use is important. Not all stocks were created equal. They really do vary in quality and taste. I always use Massel vegetable stock, which I believe is superior in quality and flavour. Massel stocks are vegan, gluten free, lactose free, kosher and free of MSG. When I don't make my own home made stock (I really do need to post that recipe) I always use Massel stocks. I actually prefer to use the stock cubes so I can control the strength. I use 1 stock cube for every 2 cups of filtered water.

3 tablespoons chopped chives or a grating of nutmeg (optional; choose one, not both), to garnish

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the garlic, leeks, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt for about 3 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.

Add the cauliflower and sauté for another minute.

Add the vegetable broth, increase the heat to high, and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the cauliflower is com- pletely tender. Stir the mix periodically and mash the cauliflower with a wooden spoon.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the soup to cool slightly; stir in the nuts.

Pour the soup into your blender (I use a Vitamix) in batches and puree on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy.

Return the soup to the saucepan and warm it over low heat. Stir in salt to taste.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with either chopped chives or grated nutmeg.

Serves 6 as a starter, 4 as a main.

Tip: What Is A Grain Ball?

I like to supplement a bowl of blended soup with a scoop of cooked grain (day-old is best, as it sticks together). I prefer the protein-rich grains—quinoa, amaranth, and millet (they’re alkaline, too). But use any grains you like—brown rice, buckwheat, or (if you’re not gluten-free) pearl barley. Try cooking grains in vegetable broth or coconut milk, and/or adding some ginger, garlic, sea vegetables, herbs, and spices for an added boost of flavor.

Who would have thought! The cashew cream for this soup really makes the dish something to write home about. It is rich in flavour but not heavy like some of those normal creamy soups. I cannot make enough of it!

One word - unbelievable! This is one of the best soups I have ever had in my life. I cannot believe it is so quick and so easy and so light and fluffy. This is going in my top ten soups of all time. Thankyou so much!

I find this really hard to believe. How can this soup be so flavorful, so sweet? Someone made this for me and asked what I thought was in it. Well, it was sweet, so I assumed it had to have corn in it. Nope, I was told, guess again. Sweet potato? Not a chance. When I was told it had cauliflower, I was stunned. I’ve always hated cauliflower, but I LOVE this soup. If you’re looking for a great, easy recipe, try this, you won’t be sorry. Thanks Blender Girl!

A friend emailed me this through your recipe recommendation feature because I got as Vitamix for Christmas. I made it last night for my family and we were all, as you say it “in piggy heaven”. I cannot cannot cannot believe this soup does not have dairy in it. It is so smoothy, creamy and bursting of flavour. This soup is incredible. Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou for this quick easy recipe. Signed your new fan.

Tess…this is literally one of the best soups I have ever tasted. It is so rich and creamy. I used the Massel stock cubes like you suggested and it was just incredible. The best part? It is SO easy. Thankyou so much for the suggestion. My family were so happy and already asking me to make it again.

SO excited to try this recipe!! It’s getting to be that time of the year :) What type of broth do you use….low sodium, no sodium, or regular?? I would assume regular, if not specified otherwise, right?! LOVE your site, it is awesome! :)

Thanks Christina. I really appreciate your lovely positive comments and support of my website. It is great to be connected :)
With regards to the broth, I always use Massel when I don’t make my own. But you can use any natural veggie broth you like.

I’m doing a strict anti-candida diet for a MONTH and understandably have been a bit bored with my diet the last few days. This recipe didn’t have any ingredients on my no-no list and it was AWESOME! As I said over a bowl tonight: “This one’s a keeper!” Thanks!

I have tried a couple of different cauliflower soup recipes, but I have to say that this is by far the best one that I have come across. Bookmarking this page for sure! Thanks so much for the recipe :)

That is lovely. Thankyou. I really love this recipe too. I was allowed to put 10 recipes from the site in my book and this was at the very top of my list. It is my most requested recipe…..and SO easy. Win Win. Enjoy :)

I just bookmarked this recipe to make over the weekend! I can’t go a week without soup in my meal rotation. This looks great. Love the addition of the cashews for creaminess. I also love to add grains to my soup to add a bit of chew. Yum!

This sounds amazing and verified by all the comments. Please give me instructions on soaking the nuts. I have never used raw cashews or almonds in a recipe before that called for soaking. How long would you suggest.

I am going to start a new religion based on worshipping this truly divine soup! I can’t believe it doesn’t have cream or butter. I’m not vegan, but this has definitely made me vegan-curious. Thank you!

You can use any broth to make this soup. I get more emails about this recipe from all over the world than any other recipe on the site. It’s the alchemy created between the cauliflower and the cashews that is the star of this recipe. Enjoy!

This looks delicious and I’d love to try it, but am not sure how much cauliflower to use. Cauliflower comes in different sizes, so can you please tell me how much cauliflower to use in terms of cups or by weight, as in ounces? Also can I substitute coconut oil for the olive oil? And how long would this keep in the refrigerator? Can this soup be frozen? Thanks!

Thanks Eda. Yes, Joanne, this soup is so forgiving, it’s almost impossible to mess it up. Use 1 large head of cauliflower (or 8 cups cauliflower) or 2 small heads as Edna said. This soup freezes very well. You just may want to blend it again after defrosting and before reheating for the creamiest consistency. You can use coconut oil. But, it can bring in a slight coconutty flavor, which I find detracts from this blend. If you don’t want to use olive oil, I recommend grape seed oil. Enjoy!

Oh wow .. This is one of the best soups I’ve ever had. Used green onion instead of leeks and added some hot sauce during the simmer for an extra kick. Put it in the freezer for 15min before blending to avoid your blender top blowing off. Delicious !!

I ate four bowls in one evening. When you follow the recipe and then taste, you just can’t believe you just made it yourself, it’s so good it’s almost not plausible. It’s like eating soup from The Savoy.

Wowee…this soup is scrumptious and so darn easy! I didn’t have any nutmeg or chives so I put a crunchy crostini on top and it was a nice addition. Thanks for this recipe, it is now one of my favorites!

This soup is DELISH!! I was trying to copy one of my favorites soups that’s sold downtown, it is identical except the chef told me she adds a touch of truffle oil and salt- I did it and yep. My most perfect and beloved soup. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!

Sorry for the confusion Nancy. Once the soup has cooked and you are cooling it a little bit before putting it into the blender, throw in the nuts and stir them into the water to soften. Leave for 10 mins and then blend.

Tess,
Thanks for this recipe. I’m coming off a coconut water fast and this is serving as one of my “back to solids” transitional foods (following herbal tea, broth, and previous soup).
It’s simmering now and while I do have a Vitamix I am going to have a go at using a hand blender right in the pot. If the nuts turn out to be problematic I’ll succumb and go to the 5200.
Imagine how tasty this is when you’ve not had anything to eat for 8 days:-)